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"If we're not disappointed we're not in the game for the right reasons, and I am; I feel bitterly disappointed for the group of players, not just me and Jim because it's not about us, it's about the players.

"They've carried out every bit of the gameplan we worked on in the week and not managed to get over the line."

Zero reward for their efforts is, perhaps, the story of the season on home soil where City have recorded only five wins from 18 matches in National League South.

Gill says that finding a way to edge themselves over the line is something the Romans must find.

He said: "I'm really disappointed because I thought that was a really good game of football, first and foremost. Credit to Lee [Bradbury, Havant boss] and his team, they're top of the league for a reason and they've dug out a result.

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"I thought we were the better team throughout. We played some really good, dynamic football.

"The bit we're missing at the moment is working out how to win a game. I'm not saying that's over a long period of time, I'm saying when we get to this stage, and we've had this conversation before, we haven't quite been able to work out how to get over the line.

"IE, when you concede just after half-time when we've got momentum going down the hill."

A Havant challenge comes in on Sean Rigg (Image: Simon Howe)

Given Southwood's heroics in the Romans goal this term, Gill refused to single his keeper out for the mistake that handed Theo Lewis the winner.

He added: "We get back into the game with a superb strike from Tom Smith and then we go and concede again to a really uncharacteristic, bad mistake from Luke.

"I'm not going to dig him out individually, he knows that, everyone else knows that. He's been terrific and kept us in a lot of games this season.

"We'll have to bite the bullet on it."

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The game wasn't without controversy at times, not least when Andy Watkins was denied a spot kick upon hitting the turf after a weaving run only for a free-kick to be awarded to Havant, albeit without a yellow card shown for diving, among other failed penalty shouts.

However, Gill was reticent to be drawn into a debate around referee James Durkin's afternoon.

"I don't know what I can say because I'll probably get myself in trouble and that's all I'm going to say about that," he said. "What I've witnessed there is not short of unacceptable.

"We work ever so hard to get ourselves in situations in the final third, create overloads and be positive, and some of the things haven't gone our way.

"People can read what they want into that but there's nothing I can say about it."

Dan Ball gets his head to a corner (Image: Simon Howe)

Focusing on his own side, the bullish boss added: "The one thing I can say is that Danny Ball has had a header cleared off the line, Miles Welch-Hayes has had a header which is an unbelievable save down low left.

"Watto's hit one straight at the goalkeeper in the first half and I can probably count their chances on one hand – probably the two they've taken.

"I'm not going to pooh-pooh Lee's team because I've got big respect for him as a friend and a coach. They've been working for a while and they've got some experienced Vanarama South players.

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"But we've pushed them all the way and more. It's going to be hard work for us now because we've dropped five points away from the play-offs, but we don't give up, that's for sure.

"We'll go again and if we take points off Hemel and Welling that drops them down puts us up. That's the way we talk – positively.

"Rome wasn't built in a day and we're Romans; we've been in since October and anyone out there who's not seen anything that's improved this team, anyone out there who thinks it's not exciting to watch, are more than welcome to knock on the door and explain why."

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"We won't be doing too much but we'll be doing something because we always have to prepare in the right way for every game.

"We'll look at each game and see how the boys are. We always throw it back in their court because we're not a dictatorship, we're very much open as a group, ask how they feel and then we come up with what we're going to do."